The LMU women's basketball team opened WCC play with a 65-47 win over visiting Pepperdine Thursday in Gersten Pavilion.

LOS ANGELES - Alex Cowling scored a game-high 19 to lead a trio of Lions in double-figures and the LMU women's basketball team held visiting Pepperdine to just 12 second-half points on its way to a 65-47 West Coast Conference win Thursday in Gersten Pavilion.

It was the ninth all-time WCC opening win for the Lions, who move to 7-7 on the season. The victory also snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Waves dating back to the 2008-09 season and gave the Lions key points in the Fourth Annual Wells Fargo PCH Cup standings.

Pepperdine dropped to 3-9 overall and 0-1 in WCC play.

Tied 35-35 at the half, LMU put on a defensive show in the second period, forcing 11 turnovers and allowing Pepperdine to shoot just 5-for-25 from the field, 1-for-5 from beyond the arc and 1-for-3 from the free-throw line.

The Lions never trailed in the second half as an 8-0 run midway through the period opened up a 10-point lead, 54-44 at the 9:36 mark. Pepperdine's Kelsey Patrick hit one of two free throws to trim the lead back to single digits, but the Lions closed out the game with an 11-3 run on their way to the 18-point victory.

Cowling was a monster on the boards for LMU, pulling down a season-high 15 to lead LMU to a 47-32 advantage on the boards. Ramirez also dished out a game-high eight assists.

Shay Cooney-Williams gave the Waves their only lead of the night, hitting a three on the game's first possession. The Lions responded in a big way, reeling off 19 straight points, to open up a 19-3 advantage at the 14:34 mark of the first half.

Pepperdine trimmed the Lions' lead to seven, 25-18 with 9:42 on the clock, but back-to-back layups by Sophie Taylor and Cowling pushed the lead back to double-digits just moments later. A 17-6 run by Pepperdine to close out the half left the teams deadlocked headed into the locker room.

Cooney-Williams led the Waves with 13 points while Patrick added 12.

LMU continues WCC play at home where they 6-1 this season, hosting Saint Mary's on Saturday, Jan. 5. Tip-off in Gersten Pavilion is 2 p.m.